Chinese Drywall in Your Home Can Make You Sick

The use of toxic Chinese drywall in newly-built or renovated homes is turning into the largest environmental crisis to hit the North American real estate industry in recent history.

When exposed to humid conditions, the defective drywall gives off toxic gases like hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide and others. Not only do these gases create a noxious odour (comparable to a rotten egg smell), they also cause health problems such as shortness of breath, eye irritation, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, sore throat, bloody nose, and headaches.

Along with unpleasant smells, other evidence of the presence of the toxic Chinese drywall in new or renovated homes includes blackened and burnt wiring behind wall plugs and switch plates, and corroded evaporator coils on air conditioning units.

Unfortunately, homes containing defective Chinese drywall cannot be repaired. The only course of action is for them to be completely gutted and rebuilt. Experts in the field estimate that it can take as few as three sheets of the toxic drywall to contaminate an entire home to the point of making it uninhabitable.

Between 2001 and 2008, hundreds of millions of sheets of the toxic drywall were imported to the U.S. During the same time period, about a million square metres were shipped to Canada.

America’s Watchdog, a national advocacy group for consumer protection, is taking an active role in tracking down those responsible for the defective drywall. The president of America’s Watchdog, Thomas Martin, says the crisis is “the worst case of sick houses in U.S. history.”

In April of this year, the Drywall Safety Act was introduced in the United States House of Representatives. If approved, the Act would prompt a recall of all Chinese drywall imported into the U.S. between 2004 and 2007.

Meanwhile, the full extent of Chinese drywall installation in Canadian homes is still under investigation. If you suspect your home may contain the defective drywall, contact an environmental engineer or a qualified home inspector.